Talk to Al Jazeera: In the Field

Senegal’s female gladiators

Wrestling against gender inequality.

Wrestling is not just a combat sport. For many who take part, it’s a way of life.

Its origins may go back thousands of years across different cultures, but in Senegal, it is a rite of passage.

While men have been the focus of much of wrestling’s history, for the Jola tribe, women have also played a crucial role.

But this is not the case across the rest of Senegal.

In this edition of Talk to Al Jazeera: In the Field, we discover what makes women from the Jola tribe thrive against the odds to become Senegal’s female gladiators.